The present invention relates to garments for providing protection to the wearer in a hazardous environment and more particularly relates to a removable lens cover attached over a permanent lens of a head covering of the protective coveralls which is adapted for very rapid removal in situations when the lens cover is clouded by a foreign material.
Various types of protective coveralls are known for use in protecting the wearer of the coveralls from hazards including flame, hot and/or corrosive chemicals, molten metals, and the like. One such type of coveralls includes a one-piece suit for the body, arms and legs and a separate, removable head covering is worn together with the one-piece suit. The coveralls generally have a laminated construction with a durable, usually waterproof, outer shell which is impervious to the hazards to be encountered and a liner which increases the protection against high temperature conditions and may also include additional barrier layers.
The head covering of such suits typically includes an internal hard hat which supports a downwardly-draping hood of the outer shell material with liner about the wearer's head and may included a hood bib which extends downwardly about the chest and back of the wearer. So that the wearer can see, the hood has an opening at the face area which is covered by a transparent viewing lens. While suits with head covering of this type are capable of providing protection from the hazards to be encountered for specified limited periods, the wearer is at risk if his vision is obscured by the viewing lens becoming clouded by a foreign material, e.g., a leaking hot chemical sprayed onto the viewing lens. If the wearer cannot see well enough to escape quickly from the hazard, the exposure limits of the suit may be exceeded and injury may result. Even worse, the wearer may be forced to remove the head covering in order to see for his escape and be injured due to direct exposure.